US Diocese loses court battle over seceding parish's property

[The Church of England Newspaper] August 19, 2005--An American parish that left its diocese over the consecration of the Anglican Communion's first openly gay bishop has won a court case over the ownership of its building and property. The diocese of Los Angeles had taken legal action against St James church in Newport Beach to reclaim the property, after the parish seceded from the Episcopal Church to affiliate with the Church of Uganda. However, California's Superior Court this week dismissed the claim, concluding that they were being sued for their disagreement with the ECUSA over Gene Robinson's consecration as Bishop of New Hampshire. Judge David Velasquez said that the action the church took in response to the row over gay clergy was within its rights of freedom of speech.